Bianca Bustamante grows grit after challenging Qatar testing days
Photo from racerbia/Instagram
Filipino American driver Bianca Bustamante has proven once again that resilience and determination are the backbone of her racing journey.
Fresh off an intense three-day testing session in Qatar, the Fil-Am McLaren Development racer took to Instagram to share her insights, highlighting the ups and downs she faced on the track.
“The past three days of testing have been the toughest of the season,” she admitted, citing challenges with the circuit’s long, medium-speed corners and an unfamiliar setup.
View this post on Instagram
“Leaving Qatar with so much growth,” she added. “I struggled with the long, medium-speed corners – those have always been a weakness for me.”
Bustamante and her team, ART Grand Prix, encountered an uphill battle adapting to Qatar’s track conditions—a long, high-speed layout she had never driven before.
Day one presented its fair share of frustrations as she struggled to close the gap to the reference times.
However, thanks to major adjustments by her engineer Gui Gui and ART’s persistent efforts, Bianca saw significant progress by the third day.
“We made massive improvements!” she celebrated, acknowledging the steep learning curve that ultimately strengthened her skills and teamwork.
“We closed the gap considerably. It’s been a huge learning curve—not always linear, but everyone gave it their all to maximize performance.”
View this post on Instagram
While the Qatar tests were grueling, they’ve become a defining moment in her season. “Tough days build you up,” she reflected.
From the sands of Qatar, Bustamante has now landed in Las Vegas, immersing herself in the electric atmosphere of the Formula 1 race weekend.
Sharing her excitement online, she described her first day in the city as a “dream,” reconnecting with her McLaren family and soaking up the energy from fans.
Off the track, Bustamante debuted a striking new makeover, adding flair to her already beautiful persona as she gears up for an epic Formula 1 showdown in Vegas.
Want stories like this delivered straight to your inbox? Stay informed. Stay ahead. Subscribe to InqMORNING
